Now, I'll tell you what, my friend," said Scrooge. "I am not going to stand this sort of thing any longer." There is humour too, such as observing that a coffin nail would be deader than the proverbial doornail. You probably already know this, but A Christmas Carol tells the tale of an aging miser named Ebenezer Scrooge. He works in a counting-house with his poor, put-upon clerk Bob Cratchit. Once upon a time, Scrooge had a partner, Jacob Marley, but when the novella opens, Marley has been dead seven years, though Scrooge seems barely to notice.

It is a simple tale of how a normal man turns cold-hearted and mean and how, when confronted with memories of his past and the possible outcomes of his actions and inactions, he is redeemed by making positive changes to his life and thus that of others. Hutton, Ronald (1996). Stations of the Sun: The Ritual Year in England. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-285448-3. All upcoming public events are going ahead as planned and you can find more information on our events blogTheir lively and creative discussion views the story in ways I hadn't considered, demonstrating why it remains so relevant and enjoyable. It also touches on Lord of the Rings, Beowulf, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, The Hogfather, The Muppets (or course), and capitalism and healthcare. Davis, Paul (Winter 1990b). "Literary History: Retelling A Christmas Carol: Text and Culture-Text". The American Scholar. 59 (1): 109–15. JSTOR 41211762. This week I found myself with a few extra hours and finally read the novella. Wow. I’m very glad I did. Here are some thoughts: Harrison, Mary-Catherine (2008). Sentimental Realism: Poverty and the Ethics of Empathy, 1832–1867 (Thesis). Ann Arbor, MI. ISBN 978-0-549-51095-6. {{ cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ( link) Finally, I have taken it upon myself to read the source material! Did I like it? Two words: BAH, HUMBUG!

A Christmas Carol is a great reminder to bring Christmas cheer. When talking about Scrooge, so many people choose to go positive and wish him a Merry Christmas. Who can we show kindness to this holiday season? How are you?” said one. “How are you?” returned the other. “Well!” said the first. “Old Scratch has got his own at last, hey?" Restad, Penne L. (1996). Christmas in America: a History. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-510980-1.The first is pale, shadowy (long forgotten?) and “ like a child; yet not so like a child as an old man” (the child is father of the man?). Overall, I couldn't get over how in just a few chapters, and what people call a short story, he included so many important elements including the greatest character development in all of literature!! ❄️ Bob Cratchit went down a slide on Cornhill, at the end of a lane of boys, twenty times, in honour of its being Christmas Eve The third is dark, solemn and scary, reflecting Scrooge’s fears of death and also the sadness that will emanate from him if he does not change, but also with an indistinct face and shape, perhaps suggesting the potential malleability of the future. Alleyne, Richard (24 December 2007). "Real Scrooge 'was Dutch gravedigger' ". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022.

It is required of every man,” the Ghost returned, “that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide; and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death. It is doomed to wander through the world…and witness what it cannot share, but might have shared on earth, and turned to happiness!” Martin, Theodore (February 1844). "Bon Gaultier and his Friends". Tait's Edinburgh Magazine. 11 (2): 119–131. All of this seems trite and melodramatic in summary; in practice, it is pure magic, a precious gem that waits to be reread each year, and each year just as good as the last. Studwell, William Emmett; Jones, Dorothy E. (1998). Publishing Glad Tidings: Essays on Christmas Music. Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press. ISBN 978-0-7890-0398-0. A Christmas Carol hits on some important societal issues, and it has iconic, unforgettable characters. It also has some laugh-out-loud moments.It is our reality as humans that most of our lives exist in what we can remember. After all, we have control only of the instant second, and already, that second is passing.